Educational toy device

ABSTRACT

An educational toy device which is a three dimensional unit for storage and includes a base with a plurality of hingedly connected panels at its outer edge adapted to be folded into the plane of the base with each of the panels defining a work station and having sockets to receive items of a predetermined geometrical shape sized to fit the respective sockets of the work stations and wall portions extending outwardly from the central portion of the base to separate the work stations from one another so that a plurality of youngsters may use the toy simultaneously, each working at a separate work station.

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States atent 1 [111 3,789,522

Moore Feb. 5, 1974 EDUCATIONAL TOY DEVICE 3,562,929 2/1971 Emore 35/60[76] Inventor: Jaymes D. Moore, 16198 NE. 8th

01., North Miami Beach, Fla. 33162 Primary Examiner-Wm- Gneb [22] Filed:Mar. 19, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 342,870 [57] ABSTRACT An educational toydevice which is a three dimensional unit for storage and includes a basewith a plu- [52] US. Cl 35/60, 35/22 A, 35/8 R, rality of hingedlyconnected panels at its Outer edge 46/1 R adapted to be folded into theplane of the base with [5 i] Illl. Cl A471) 41/00 each of the panelsdefining a Work Station and having [58] held of Search 35/1 8 22 73;sockets to receive items of a predetermined geometri- R cal shape sizedto fit the respective sockets of the work stations and wall portionsextending outwardly [56] References cued from the central portion of thebase to separate the UNITED STATES PATENTS work stations from oneanother so that a plurality of 741,903 10/1903 Gates youngsters may usethe toy simultaneously, each 2,582,575 1/1952 Young working at aseparate work station. 2,659,163 11/1953 Albee 3,233,346 2/1966 Cornberg9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 3,414,987 12/1968 Lindenauer 35/60 PatentedFeb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,522

3 Sheefs-Sheet 3 EDUCATIONAL TOY DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to an educational toy and, more particularly, to a toyintended to teach students various color patterns, geometrical shapes,and similar knowledge at separate work stations about a base of a singledevice and which can be readily collapsed into an easily stored unitadapting it for teaching at preschool classes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is perhaps well-known, a good toy musthave child appeal, that is it must appeal to a child in one or more ofthe following categories, stimulation of the imagination, encouragementof activity and initiative, helping a child to attain a skill, andcontributing to his physical, mental or social development. Furthermore,a toy must be compatible with the age of the child who will use it, itbeing apparent that a child of a certain age may not find any appeal ina toy which is designed for a child of another age or other physical,mental or social development levels. Finally, a suitable toy for a childat his level of interest and ability should provide some aspects whichare a little advanced for the user so that the child can grow to thenext toy, that is, the toy should offer some challenge in its range ofactivity, but be, for the most part, within the range of his particularactivity so that he will not become discouraged and meet withfrustration and failure.

The present invention provides a compact educational toy having aplurality of work stations each of which can have their own individualrange of difficulty and interest incorporated into the activity to beconducted at the particular work station; and each of the work stationscan be similar in content or be progressively more difficult. Thepresent invention provides means for separating the several workstations from one another so that a group of youngsters can participatein using the teaching device at the same time and each feel that he isparticipating fully, when in actuality, some of the work stations mayhave a range of work somewhat more difficult than that of the other workstation.

It is, generally, the purpose of this invention to provide a toy oreducational device for teaching children color, shape, texture andmanipulative coordination which is achieved by the selection of variousgeometrical designs from a designated colored quad. The child thenchooses the corresponding color in some puzzle and, thereafter, matchthe piece with a correctly shaped socket designed to receive it. It is,therefore, a purpose of this educational toy to supply interest andlearning desire for a child in a given age range for which the game isparticularly designed within the ambit of the invention disclosedherein. Tests are available and have been conducted which indicate thatchildren in certain age brackets, for example, between three and four,are able to comprehend the rules and regulations of the instanteducational device. The attention span of children in this specified agegroup is sufficient such that it is held throughout the necessary timealotted for completion of the work to be done at any given work station.

In playing with the educational toy to be described hereinafter, workpieces are arranged correctly at designated colored areas and a childusing it can easily replace the parts or work pieces and collapse theunit for storage, rendering it readily adaptable for use in teachingsituations. All that is required to be done is that the hingedlyconnected work stations are folded into a generally vertical position,thereby collapsing the toy, and defining a receptacle for the workpieces. While the preferred embodiment described hereinafter relates toa square shaped work base, the same can be triangular, square shaped,rectangular shaped, octagonal or trapezoidal, each providing a frameworkwithin which the child learns to conduct activity and socialize in aplay environment.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of this inventionto provide an educational toy which provides a collapsible unit which isreadily stored and which contains work pieces and, in use, presents abase with hingedly connecting separated work stations peripherallyarranged about the base, with each of the work stations being separatedby a wall portion and each of the work stations having work piecesadapted to be placed in registry with either a colored portion at thework station or a plurality of sockets to receive work pieces.

Other and further objects will become apparent in the light of thedescription which follows and, therefore, in accordance with theforegoing object, the instant invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of aneducational toy in accordance with the instant invention andillustrating a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toy shown in FIG. I and showing itin a partially collapsed condition and being prepared for storage;

FIG. 3 is a view of the toy shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and illustrating thesame in a more fully collapsed condition;

FIG. 4 is a view of the toy of FIG. 1 and illustrating the same in acollapsed condition;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the instantinvention;

FIG. 6 is a view of the device shown in FIG. 5 and illustrating the samein a partially collapsed condition;

FIG. 7 is a view of the device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and illustratingthe particular embodiment in a collapsed condition for storage;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 7 in acollapsed condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the first twosheets of drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, it is seen that thenumeral 12 generally designates the toy which includes (a) a planar base14 of square shape, pentagon shaped or other polygon or, preferably, ashape with equal included angles and sides and, (b) a plurality offlap-type panels I6, 18, 20 and 22 extending outwardly of the edges ofthe base and of such a similar shape relative to one another that whenhingedly moved about their respective lines of juncture with the base24, 26, 28 and 30 into a generally vertical attitude, there is defined acompact three dimensional unit for storage. Each of the panels whenfolded out of the stored condition extends outwardly of its associatedbase edge defining a work station. Each of the work stations has on thepanel a design which may be of a particular color arrangement printedthereon or, alternatively, has a pad such as that indicated by thenumeral 32 in which there is a plurality of sockets such as thatindicated by the numeral 34 which are intended to receive any one of aplurality of articles generally designated by the numeral 36 which areintended to register or coincide with its ends as to color and shape.

To the central zone of the base 14 there is provided an upstandingsupport or standard 38 and radially outwardly extending walls 40, 42, 44and 46 which terminate at the edges of the work station at theirjuncture with the base and which separate the toy as seen in plan intoseparate work stations at which a child can perform the functionsindicated above and converse with an adjacent child but maintain his ownwork activity in a somewhat private atmosphere. Any suitable means areemployed to connect the walls portions to the standard 38, which mayextend upwardly of the base 14 a distance slightly higher than that ofthe outward extension of the work station from the edge of the base. Itwill be seen that hinge means are provided at the connection of the baseand the various work station panels so that when the same are foldedupwardly, the string means illustrated and designated by the numerals t52, 54 and 56 may, at their central Zones, be hooked over the upperportion of the standard so that they will not flop down, and, in thismanner, the toy is collapsed into a container type unit. The particularpieces which are used in performing the work station activity by a userare placed in the quadrant of the base which is adjacent theparticularly associated work station and, a cover 60 may be providedwhich may be connected as at 62 tonne of the work stations, see FIG. 1.Also, an opening 64 may be provided in the cap or cover 60 which nestsover the standard holding the box in a collapsed condition.Additionally, handle means such as that indicated by the numeral 66 maybe provided exteriorly on the cover, see F IG. 4, they being a pivotalhandle which is connected as indicated by the brackets 68 and 70.

DETAILED DESCRlPTION OF THE SECOND EMBODIMENT In the embodiment shown inFIG. 5 there is also the base 114 and wall sections 118, 120 and 122radiating from the central region of the base and separating the baseinto segments and from which base there extend the work stations from aline of juncture or hinge line 124, 126 and 128 in a triangular patternto an outer apex with the work stations being designated by the numerals130, 132 and 134 and each having sockets or, in this case, an imprintedindicia over which play pieces are adapted to be positioned in registrytherewith and which have the required color, or, a number which isintended to be matched up with it, for example on the work station. Forexample, see work station 132 in which there may be varying numbers suchas 5, 10, and 1 on imprinted portions to indicate a variation in size togive appreciation to a student of relative quantities. Once again theembodiment is adapted to be collapsed as indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8 byfolding the work stations upwardly with the particular work pieces beinghoused within the segment of the base between the associated wall andwork station to which they belong. A cap 14-0 may be provided to nestover the apex of the container to keep the sides from falling downwardlyin storage.

it is thus apparent that there has been provided an inexpensive teachingtool which may be of any suitable material, such as plastic, paperboardor other such material which can be successfully employed in teachingcolor coordination, geometrical patterns, and numerical values. Hollowblocks for work pieces may be employed which contain some type ofplastic rattle element so that when shaken they will produce anothersensual experience for the child. Also, the type of plastic may betranslucent or any of several different high intensity colors to providean attractive and interesting educational tool. The tool provides forthe teaching about a table at which several students or children arelocated and at which interaction can take place in a social atmospherewhile at the same time the children can concentrate because of the wallportions on their own particular portion of the game board beingresponsible for the progress made at that particular work station.

What is claimed is:

1. An educational toy device comprising:

a base;

a plurality of flap-type panels extending outwardly of the base edgesand each defining a work station,

each of the flap-type panels having recess means of predeterminedgeometrical shape;

hinge means connecting the panels to the base;

a plurality of wall portions, each extending outwardly from the centralzone of the base toward the edge of the base and one of theintersections of the lines of juncture of the edge of the base and thepanels defining a generally radial pattern of wall portions from thecenter zone of the base as seen in plan,

said panels being adapted to be hingedly swung about the hinge meansupwardly and toward a generally vertical position;

keeper means to hold the panels in a predetermined generally verticalattitude for storage of the toy and, upon release, to permit hingedmovement of the panels into work station relation to-the base extendingoutwardly therefrom; and

a plurality of pieces each sized to nest within one of the recess meansof the panels,

whereby work pieces are adapted to be positioned in the recesses in apredetermined order.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a standard is provided onthe central region of the base in a generally upright perpendicularrelation and means for securing the standard to the central region andsaid keeper means is adapted to connect the panels to the standard forstorage.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the keeper means comprisea plurality of strings, each of said strings being connected to adjacentdistal portions of the panels and adapted to be secured to the standardto hold the panels in a generally vertical attitude.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein cover means are providedto span the panels and standard when the panels are in an uprightcondition in surrounding relation of the standard.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein handle means are providedfor carrying the toy device.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base and panels are ofplastic material. is of planar square shape.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base is of triangularform as seen in plan.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base 5 9. The deviceas set forth in claim 1 wherein the base and panels are of paperboardmaterial.

1. An educational toy device comprising: a base; a plurality offlap-type panels extending outwardly of the base edges and each defininga work station, each of the flap-type panels having recess means ofpredetermined geometrical shape; hinge means connecting the panels tothe base; a plurality of wall portions, each extending outwardly fromthe central zone of the base toward the edge of the base and one of theintersections of the lines of juncture of the edge of the base and thepanels defining a generally radial pattern of wall portions from thecenter zone of the base as seen in plan, said panels being adapted to behingedly swung about the hinge means upwardly and toward a generallyvertical position; keeper means to hold the panels in a predeterminedgenerally vertical attitude for storage of the toy and, upon release, topermit hinged movement of the panels into work station relation to thebase extending outwardly therefrom; and a plurality of pieces each sizedto nest within one of the recess means of the panels, whereby workpieces are adapted to be positioned in the recesses in a predeterminedorder.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a standard isprovided on the central region of the base in a generally uprightperpendicular relation and means for securing the standard to thecentral region and said keeper means is adapted to connect the panels tothe standard for storage.
 3. The device as set forth in claim 2 whereinthe keeper means comprise a plurality of strings, each of said stringsbeing connected to adjacent distal portions of the panels and adapted tobe secured to the standard to hold the panels in a generally verticalattitude.
 4. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein cover means areprovided to span the panels and standard when the panels are in anupright condition in surrounding relation of the standard.
 5. The deviceas set forth in claim 1 wherein handle means are provided for carryingthe toy device.
 6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the baseis of planar square shape.
 7. The device as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe base is of triangular form as seen in plan.
 8. The device as setforth in claim 1 wherein the base and panels are of plastic material. 9.The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base and panels are ofpaperboard material.